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 | Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian toasts during the opening ceremony of the Democratic Pacific Union, Sunday, Aug. 14, 2005, in Taipei, Taiwan. The international organization aims at bolstering relations with countries in Asia and Latin America. Taiwan expects the founding of the union will help in its rivalry with China, which tries to prevent the island from joining international organizations. click to open  |  | Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian toasts during the opening ceremony of the Democratic Pacific Union, Sunday, Aug. 14, 2005, in Taipei, Taiwan. The international organization aims at bolstering relations with countries in Asia and Latin America. Taiwan expects the founding of the union will help in its rivalry with China, which tries to prevent the island from joining international organizations. click to open |  | Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian speaks at the inauguration in Taipei of an international body called the Democratic Pacific Union Aug 14 2005. Chen rejected the theory of China's 'peaceful rise', saying its rapid arms buildup threatens not only his island but the whole region. click to open |  | Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian speaks to a meeting of the Democratic Progressive Party congress in Taipei March 12, 2005. Chen on Saturday called for a million people to take to the streets of Taipei on March 26 to protest against China's anti-secession bill, which allows for the use of force against the island. click to open |  | Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian, right, welcomes Guatemala's President Oscar Berger Perdomo before the opening ceremony of the Democratic Pacific Union, Sunday, Aug. 14, 2005, in Taipei, Taiwan. Perdomo is in Taiwan for the inauguration of the Democratic Pacific Union, an international organization aiming at bolstering relations with countries in Asia and Latin America. Taiwan expects the founding of the union will help in its rivalry with China, which tries to prevent the island from joining international organizations. China and Taiwan split amid civil war in 1949, but Beijing still claims sovereignty over the self-ruled, democratic island, saying it should not be allowed to have diplomatic relations. click to open |  | Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian, right, sits next to Guatemala's President Oscar Berger Perdomo during the opening ceremony of the Democratic Pacific Union, Sunday, Aug. 14, 2005, in Taipei, Taiwan. Perdomo is in Taiwan for the inauguration of the Democratic Pacific Union, an international organization aiming at bolstering relations with countries in Asia and Latin America. Taiwan expects the founding of the union will help in its rivalry with China, which tries to prevent the island from joining international organizations. China and Taiwan split amid civil war in 1949, but Beijing still claims sovereignty over the self-ruled, democratic island, saying it should not be allowed to have diplomatic relations. click to open |  | Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian (R) shakes hands with Winston Lord, former U.S. ambassador to China, as George D. Schwab, president of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy, looks on at the presidential office in Taipei on April 5, 2004. Chen has consented to a recount of the March 20 presidential election, which he won by a narrow 0.2 percent margin a day after a mysterious assassination attempt. click to open |  | Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian of the Democratic Progressive Party, right, and Nationalist Party Chairman Lien Chan shake hands before the country's first-ever televised debate between the presidential candidates ahead of the March 20 presidential elections, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2004, in Taipei. click to open |  | Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian of the Democratic Progressive Party, right, and Nationalist Party Chairman Lien Chan listen to questions from a panel of journalists during the country's first-ever televised debate between the presidential candidates ahead of the March 20 presidential elections, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2004, in Taipei. click to open |  | Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian of the Democratic Progressive Party answers questions from journalists during the country's first-ever televised debate with opposition Nationalist Party leader Lien Chan, for the March 20 presidential elections, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2004, in Taipei. The two-hour debate, which mostly focused on the economy, China relations, education and other public policies, was a refreshing change in a nasty race that has been dominated by mudslinging. The rival campaigns have taken turns accusing each other and their family members of corruption. click to open |
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